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Coyotes-Wolves-Cougars.blogspot.com

Grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars/ mountain lions,bobcats, wolverines, lynx, foxes, fishers and martens are the suite of carnivores that originally inhabited North America after the Pleistocene extinctions.
This site invites research, commentary, point/counterpoint on that suite of native animals (predator and prey) that inhabited The Americas circa 1500-at the initial point of European exploration and subsequent colonization.
Landscape ecology, journal accounts of explorers and frontiersmen, genetic evaluations of museum animals, peer reviewed 20th and 21st century research on various aspects of our "Wild America" as well as subjective commentary from expert and layman alike. All of the above being revealed and discussed with the underlying goal of one day seeing our Continent rewilded.....Where big enough swaths of open space exist with connective corridors to other large forest, meadow, mountain, valley, prairie, desert and chaparral wildlands.....Thereby enabling all of our historic fauna, including man, to live in a sustainable and healthy environment. - Blogger Rick

Ministry wants to see Sask. moose population decrease

By Tonaya Marr, Leader-PostJuly

The Ministry of Environment is looking at ways to control the moose population.

The Ministry of Environment is keeping a close eye on Saskatchewan's moose population.

According to Minister of Environment Ken Cheveldayoff, the government is looking into new ways to reduce the moose population in Saskatchewan."I've asked the Ministry of Environment to look at options to being even more aggressive on the numbers," said Cheveldayoff.

The moose population is controlled through hunting, with licences handed out in the Big Game draw. The number of licences has been increasing. This season, 4,840 licences were handed out across Saskatchewan, with 2,650 in the southern portion of the province, an increase of 455 licences in that region last season.

Cheveldayoff 's announcement follows the death of RCMP Cst. Derek Pineo, whose cruiser collided with a moose on Highway 14 west of Wilkie early Friday morning.

In order to better understand the number of collisions involving moose in Saskatchewan, Cheveldayoff said the ministry will be speaking with SGI officials to examine wildlife collisions. Currently, SGI lists the number of moose-related collisions under the wildlife category when making a claim. In 2011, there were nearly 16,000 collisions with wildlife claimed - 11,015 of these being collisions with deer. As well, 304 people reported injuries and two died as a result of wildlife collisions.

According to Rebecca Rogoschewsky, spokeswoman for SGI, SGI could be collecting data on moose-vehicle collisions as early as this fall, with clearer statistics after a year. SGI could also look back into previous claims to find out if moose were specified in wildlifecollision claims. "Generally, in order to see trends of any type, you need to have a couple years worth of data to see if those numbers are increasing or decreasing," said Rogoschewsky .The auto fund paid out more than $47 million in wildlife claims in 2011. "If the Ministry of Environment does feel that would help them ... by all means, it's definitely something that we'd look at," said Rogoschewsky .

The moose population in Saskatchewan has been steadily increasing, especially in the southern portion of the province. Moose typically live in the forested areas of the province, including island forests like Moose Mountain. However, recent years have seen moose migrating into the wide-open prairies, something that has seen their numbers growing. "(Moose) usually have a minimum of two calves ... down here they're able to raise them both quite successfully" said Darrell Crabbe, executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, explaining that in the northern and forested areas of the province, moose calves are frequently lost to predators. Without predators in the southern part of the province, the moose population has an easier time growing.

According to Crabbe, hunting has kept the moose population in control. Harsh winters also have the potential to decrease the population, and adjusting the number of hunting licences issued following a difficult winter can prevent the decimation of the population."That's one of the beauties of the system we have in place here - it does have a check value for the following year," said Crabbe.

Two Massachusetts Eastern Coyotes at their den site

Eastern Wolf in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

Aldo Leopold--3 quotes from his SAN COUNTY ALMANAC

"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."

Aldo Leopold

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Aldo Leopold

''To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering."

Wildlife Rendezvous

Like so many conscientious hunters and anglers come to realize, good habitat with our full suite of predators and prey make for healthy and productive living............Teddy Roosevelt depicted at a "WILDLIFE RENDEZVOUS"

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Blog Disclaimer

This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer. In addition, my thoughts and opinions change from time to time…I consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind. This blog is intended to provide a semi-permanent point in time snapshot and manifestation of my various thoughts and opinions, and as such any thoughts and opinions expressed within out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those I may hold today. All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Rick Meril and WWW.COYOTES-WOLVES-COUGARS.COM make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.